Written questions by Dillon.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce fuel poverty.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce electricity prices.

At the Autumn Budget, we committed to taking money off energy bills to tackle the cost of living. The measures taken reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter. The two actions we took are (a) Removal of ECO home insulation scheme; and (b) Moving 75% of the domestic costs of the Renewables Obligation to the Exchequer from April 2026/27-28/29. These actions are designed to provide immediate savings for households, support the transition to clean energy, and ensure that future investments in the energy system are funded in a way that is fair and sustainable. In addition, we will bring forward plans later this year to offer legacy low carbon generators, which provide about a third of our power today, the option of fixed price arrangements, with an intention to run an allocation process in 2027. This will be a voluntary decision for those generators. This will help protect families and businesses from higher bills when gas prices spike, with contracts offered only where they deliver clear value for money for consumers.

What progress has been made towards the goal of delivering a 75% reduction in emissions from public sector buildings by 2037, compared to a 2017 baseline.

The goal of delivering a 75% reduction in emissions from public sector buildings by 2037 compared to a 2017 baseline was a target set by the previous Government.Direct emissions from public sector buildings in the UK were 8.6 MtCO2e in 2017 and 8.8 MtCO2e in 2025 (provisional statistics). Since 2020 the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has supported, and continues to support, over 1,400 projects to help public sector organisations decarbonise their estates, with funding allocated up until 2028.

What steps his department is taking to address a) accreditation, b) oversight and c) verification failings of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and other previous programmes, and to ensure that these failings are not repeated in the Warm Homes Plan.

The Department has taken action to improve the oversight and quality of installations in the current system. This includes increased oversight of TrustMark, tighter certification rules limiting installers to one PAS 2030 certification per measure and updated PAS 2035/2030:2023 standards mandating site visits and higher professional qualifications. We are committed to reforming the consumer protection system, as set out in the Warm Homes Plan. We will consult this year on options for bringing the oversight of energy efficiency and microgeneration installations for government schemes under closer government control.

What consideration he has given to embedding independent architectural design expertise as a key pillar in developing retrofits funded through the Warm Homes Plan.

The Government recognises that good retrofit design is essential to high-quality home upgrades. The Warm Homes Plan takes a whole-house approach, supporting packages of measures including clean heat, solar, batteries and insulation, according to what is most appropriate and cost-effective for each property. Product designers and installers will take architecture into account. The Government is also supporting improved skills, standards, and oversight across the sector to drive better outcomes for households and reduce bills.

What steps his Department is taking to help support the decarbonisation of non-domestic buildings.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is supporting public sector organisations in England to install low carbon heating and energy efficiency measures across their estates up until 2028. The Department is also working with the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), which is leading cross-Whitehall work on the potential role for private finance to support public sector decarbonisation. Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, commercial, public and voluntary sector buildings can receive £7,500 for heat pumps and £5,000 for biomass boilers. The Department also helps fund the UK Business Climate Hub, an online resource supporting SMEs identify and implement changes to their energy use. The department also consulted strengthening non-domestic minimum energy efficiency standards to EPC B and will publish its government response in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Through our Clean Power 2030 mission, we are reducing dependency on volatile global fossil fuel markets and delivering a diverse, secure and clean energy system based on renewables and nuclear, backed by a supply of gas. Our work to date - reforming the connections queue, taking a clear decision on REMA and publishing roadmaps for key technologies like Solar and Clean Flexibility - has given a clear signal to industry. And we have now delivered the most successful renewables auction in history, with AR7 securing a record-breaking 8.4 gigawatts of offshore wind, which will power the equivalent of around 12m homes.

What steps his department is taking to help improve the energy efficiency of homes in rural areas.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund support eligible households– including in rural areas and off gas grid- to upgrade their homes, with measures including insulation, solar, batteries, and heat pumps. All eligible households in England and Wales can benefit from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to support low-carbon heating installations, funded with ?2.7 billion to 2030. There is a strong uptake of BUS grants in rural areas, with 49% of all grants given to rural properties to date. Additionally, the government has consulted on alternative heating solutions to ensure every household has a suitable low-carbon option. The consultation is now closed. A government response will follow in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of recent increases in petrol and diesel prices at forecourts following changes in global oil prices.

Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Energy Minister and the Secretary of State recently met with the CMA who are considering what options they have available if there is evidence of unfair practices. We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies, and there are no issues with fuel supply. This government has also introduced the Fuel Finder scheme, which will increase price transparency so drivers can compare prices to find the best deal and incentivise greater competition.

Whether he has considered the potential merits of moving existing renewable energy projects supported through Renewable Obligation Certificates onto Contracts for Difference.

We have looked at proposals to move generation assets supported by the Renewables Obligation Scheme onto Contracts for Difference. We keep proposals under review and are open to considering measures that will help to lower consumer energy bills.

What steps his Department is taking to improve consumer protections for rural households reliant on heating oil.

The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who are considering their options available if there is evidence of unfair practices or anti-competitive behaviour. The CMA will now gather evidence on thesituation in the market and look at whether consumers are being treated fairly. Conversations will continue in the coming days and the CMA have the power to launch an investigation into anything relating to unfair contract terms, misleading consumer practices or anti-competitive behaviour. The Government is keeping under review whether any further support or action may be needed to protect consumers and we will work with Devolved Governments if any support is developed.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of being charged commercial electricity tariffs where the supply account is held in the name of a business on residential leaseholders.

The Government is committed to support domestic households with a non-domestic energy supply with their energy costs, and are very clear that resellers such as landlords should not profit from the act of reselling energy to consumers. Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Price (MRP) rules protect consumers from being overcharged by limiting the price of energy charged to consumers to the price paid by those procuring the energy. This includes tenants who pay their landlord for their energy. To ensure that businesses, are not being overcharged for energy, Ofgem is monitoring contracts in the non-domestic energy market.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage nature-positive renewable energy development.

Government will ensure that the protection of nature is embedded into the delivery of clean power and we will be driving for nature to not only be protected but restored through clean power infrastructure. In delivering our Clean Power Action Plan, we are considering how to use development to fund nature recovery unlocking a win-win outcome for the economy and for nature. We are working with Craig Bennett, CEO of The Wildlife Trust and one of our Clean Power Commissioners, nature delivery organisations and the sector to consider how we can better support the delivery of infrastructure whilst driving better environmental outcomes.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) growth and (b) employment in the hydrogen sector.

The sector is nascent but is expected to grow significantly; the global hydrogen market could exceed $1 trillion by 2050, with the UK well positioned to capture a substantial share.We intend to publish a revised Hydrogen Strategy which will include the latest hydrogen jobs estimates and set out plans to optimise the job creation and economic benefits delivered by the UK hydrogen economy.We will continue to engage with stakeholders across the hydrogen value chain; working together with industry and unions to identify actions that support the skills and workforce needs of the UK’s low carbon hydrogen economy.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of setting a phase-out date for fossil fuel heating systems.

We remain committed to delivering net zero and are clear this will require us to decarbonise virtually all heat in buildings. The previous Government planned to end the installation of new and replacement oil, LPG and coal heating systems in homes in England from 2035. This government has been clear on several occasions that we will not force anyone to rip out a working boiler, instead we will make use of all available data to inform future decisions on heat decarbonisation. We will soon publish our Warm Homes Plan which represents the biggest ever public investment in home upgrades. This will include support for clean heating technologies like heat pumps and heat networks.

What plans he has to support low-income households with decarbonisation of homes in the context of the end of the Energy Company Obligation scheme by March 2026.

The Government has committed to additional grant funding of £1.5bn which will be directed towards upgrading low-income households, benefiting those in fuel poverty. Details of this will be included within the Government’s ambitious Warm Homes Plan. The Government is also developing a new fuel poverty strategy for England to ensure that more households can afford to heat their home at a reasonable cost, slash fuel poverty and improve their quality of life. This will include funding energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating for social housing residents, lower income households, and renters, via the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant schemes.

Whether the electricity price assumptions in SAP and RdSAP will be updated to reflect the announced reduction in electricity bills.

Electricity price assumptions in the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) and Reduced Data SAP (RdSAP) are set when each methodology is published and are not updated between versions. This ensures consistency for Energy Performance Certificates and related regulations. Updating assumptions mid-cycle would require a full methodology review and could alter EPC ratings, affecting compliance and fuel poverty metrics. The Department is maintaining stability ahead of planned 2026 reforms, when the Home Energy Model will replace SAP and EPC metrics will be reviewed. In the meantime, the “estimated yearly energy costs” shown on Energy Performance Certificates are periodically updated using the latest fuel price data, ensuring that indicative running cost information remains as current as possible for households.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of hydrotreated vegetable oil as a transitional heating solution for rural homes using oil heating.

The Government launched a consultation on 18 November to explore alternative clean heating solutions that may play a role in some homes, including renewable liquid fuels (RLFs) such as hydrotreated vegetable oil. The consultation will run for 12 weeks. The Government will review evidence from this consultation to help inform any future decision on whether or not to support the use of RLFs in heating.

What funding is available to support community energy projects in Newbury constituency.

Great British Energy (GBE) and the UK government will turbocharge support for local and community energy projects across the UK. In 2025/26, Great British Energy have allocated £5 million to the Great British Energy Community Fund (GBECF), a grant scheme designed to help community groups develop local clean power projects. £6.8 million has been allocated to maintain Local Net Zero Hubs located across England, which provide free expertise and resources to help local authorities deliver clear energy projects. GBE is in the process of developing its longer-term funding offer and strategic support for working with Local Government and Community Energy Groups, as well as working with devolved governments. This includes commercial, technical and project planning assistance to increase capability and capacity to build a pipeline of successful projects in local areas. As set out in their Strategic Plan, published on 4 December 2025, GBE aims to support over 1,000 local and community projects by 2030.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the affordability of heat pump installation for households using oil heating in rural areas.

Government expects the transition to clean heat will involve installing a heat pump for most oil-heated homes as they are cost-effective, proven technologies and several government schemes support their installation. We will share more details in the Warm Homes Plan soon. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has grants available for air source and ground source heat pumps of £7,500. There is also a 0% rate of VAT on heat pump installations until March 2027. Low income and fuel poor homes may be able to access support through the Warm Homes: Local Grant. We are undertaking research on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes and expect to receive results early next year.